Notice of Intent to Award for RFP 190000002530

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Procurement office issued Request for Proposal 190000002530 to solicit field preparation, fertilizing, and planting services, specifically mowing and seeding operations across Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Wexford Counties for the DNR Wildlife Division. The RFP was posted on SIGMA VSS on June 14, 2019, with a fourteen-day response period and a submission deadline of June 28, 2019. Qualified contractors were required to submit responses including a Vendor Questions Worksheet and Schedule A Statement of Work, each worth 50 technical points for a maximum technical score of 100 points. The solicitation encompassed approximately 219.5 acres across the three counties, with Grand Traverse County requiring services on 73.5 acres, Kalkaska County on two separate areas totaling 133.6 acres, and Wexford County on 12.4 acres. The contract term was established at six weeks, requiring contractors to complete all field preparation, fertilizing, and planting activities within this timeframe. All responsive and responsible bidders meeting solicitation requirements were evaluated, with price serving as the primary differentiator among qualified vendors.

Two bidders submitted proposals by the June 28, 2019 deadline: Highland Forestry and Food Plots and Green Pastures Wildlife Food Plots, with both achieving perfect technical scores of 100 points. Highland Forestry and Food Plots was recommended for award as the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder at a total contract price of $16,462.50, compared to Green Pastures Wildlife Food Plots' bid of $17,309.60—a difference of $847.10. The contract award breakdown by county included $5,512.50 for Grand Traverse County, $4,005.00 for the first Kalkaska County area, $6,015.00 for the second Kalkaska County area, and $930.00 for Wexford County. The notice of intent to award was posted on July 10, 2019, with unsuccessful bidders eligible to request debriefing sessions from Solicitation Manager Lisa Crozier-Green. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on bidder types were identified in the solicitation documents.